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Machine of the Month: A Unique Coupon Jig for the Aerospace Industry

The Machine of the Month for January comes from Wilder Systems, a Texas-based robot system integrator that supplies cost-effective robotics solutions to aircraft manufacturers. Their team used the Vention platform to design a coupon stand to test the company’s drilling end effector.

Wilder Systems is a Texas-based robot system integrator that is combining cutting-edge drilling and fastening technology with robots to improve productivity and quality in the aerospace industry. The company’s solutions are used for a variety of applications, including drilling, rivet shaving, and pick-and-place part kitting.

The Wilder Systems team needed to design a jig to hold flat coupons (sample metal material) to test their drilling end effector. The jig had to provide a rigid way to mount pieces and enable drilling tests with high repeatability and positional accuracy, without being impacted by part vibration or deflection. This project was under a tight deadline and could not afford long lead-times, out-of-stock parts or a lengthy design and quote process.

The team came across Vention while scouting out potential solutions and noticed that the company could ship assemblies within 24 hours.

Two specialists from Wilder Systems quickly got familiar with the Vention platform and started developing the jig. During the process, the team worked with application engineers at Vention to get expert feedback, perform design reviews, and get tips regarding Vention’s hardware.

The end result is a testament to the collaborative aspect of working in a single digital environment from idea to ordered machine. The Wilder Systems team made good use of Vention’s high-precision features for plates and extrusion systems, enabling self-alignment to make assembly easier and providing added structural integrity. The engineering team was also impressed with the quality of Vention’s components and how they contributed to the jig’s rigidity. Over 10,000 drilling trials were carried out very accurately and safely, allowing the Wilder Systems team to meet its R&D objectives with time to spare!

“..the jig performed well for our testing. After bolting the jig to the floor we were able to mount work pieces and coupons to the jig in a rigid manner. This allowed us to test drilling trials very accurately and safely… I would definitely recommend Vention to anyone who is looking for a quick-turnaround jig/fixture maker. The support provided by Vention was also top-notch!”